§ Mr. Ron Daviesasked the Secretary of State for Wales what effect he expects the revised National Coal Board policy on pit closures to have on the level of derelict land reclamation in Wales over the next three years in terms of overall funding and priorities.
§ Mr. Nicholas EdwardsI understand that the Welsh Development Agency is currently inviting bids from local authorities for inclusion in a new land reclamation programme. Priorities will be assessed in the light of local authorities' views as shown in these bids. The agency's budget for land reclamation in the next financial year will be published in the Supply Estimates next Spring.
§ Mr. Ron Daviesasked the Secretary of State for Wales (1) what was the total spending on derelict land reclamation in Wales in each of the last five years to date and what are the estimates for 1985–86 and 1986–87;
78W(2) what was the total funding for derelict land reclamation and environmental improvement by the Welsh Development Agency in each of the last five years to date, and what are the estimates for 1985–86 and 1986–87.
§ Mr. Nicholas EdwardsThe bulk of public sector assistance for land reclamation over the last five years has been in the form of grant from the Welsh Development Agency. The agency's spending on derelict land reclamation and environmental improvement in each of the last five years was as follows:
Land Reclamation £ millions Environmental Improvement Total 1980–81 9.62 0.57 10.19 1981–82 9.90 0.51 10.41 1982–83 9.51 0.31 9.82 1983–84 11.23 0.94 12.17 1984–85 9.83 0.67 10.50 The WDA's estimated budget for land reclamation and environmental improvement in 1985–86 is £9 million and £0.5 million respectively. In addition it is anticipated that a total of some £1.5 million of urban development grant will be paid in support of land reclamation in south Cardiff in 1985–86 and 1986–87.
I am not in a position to announce funding for land reclamation in 1986–87 in advance of the publication of the WDA's budget in the Supply Estimates next spring.